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Theme model 4
—RETROSPECTIVE NARRA¬TIVE IN VISION. We have already seen how certain fixed methods of narration can be derived from colloquial story-telling . We shall now study a form derived from the way we some¬times review the past silently, without telling any¬one what is passing in our minds, as in dreaming, reverie, and reminiscence. Suppose a man is return¬ing to his native town after an absence of many years. As he comes in sight of the familiar river, or the well-remembered street, will he not naturally think over the story of his early life spent there? It is this thinking over the story of events which happened previous to the time of the situation, this seeing of the past with the mind's eye, which we call retrospective narrative in vision. It is said that when a person is drowning, the events of his past life flash through his mind with startling rapidity. The pensive state of mind induced by sitting in front of a fireplace in which a fire is burning brightly also leads us to review the past. "I think the open fireplace," says Charles Dudley Warner, "does not kindle the imagination so much as it awakens the memory. One sees the past in its crum¬bling embers and ashy grayness, rather than the future. The fireplace is a window into the most charming world I have ever had a glimpse of." In this reminiscent state of mind a series of pic¬tures comes before us. Retrospective narrative in vision tells us what the person who is thinking sees, hears, and feels in reminiscence. KING OLAF'S RETURN will show the form which such a series of thoughts naturally takes. It makes us fancy that we can look into the mind of the person who is thinking of the past and becomes conscious of his thoughts. KING OLAF'S RETURN, contains a situation, a transi¬tion, retrospective narrative, and a conclusion. Read also Longfellow's Vittoria Colonna, The Slave's Dream, and To the Avon, James Whitcomb Riley's An Old Sweetheart, and Wordsworth's The Reverie of Poor Susan, all of which contain retrospective narrative in vision. Theme-model IV. in Outline. An analysis of King Olaf's Return gives us the following plan for Theme-model IV.: First paragraph — the situation, which is written according to Situation-type I., with character B and all that pertains to that character omitted. Second paragraph — the transition, which indi¬cates that the retrospective narrative is to be in vision. In King Olaf's Return, the expression, "as one who dreamed," suggests the type of narrative which follows. Third paragraph— retrospective narrative in vis¬ion. This narrative should begin with the charac¬terizing sentence as in Theme-models II. and III., in order that the story may have unity. The writer should carry out the thought of the characterizing sentence by choosing the incidents which enforce the quality that distinguishes the life or event that is being described. The recollection must be by one of the characters, or by the character if there is but one in the situation. Fourth paragraph — the conclusion, in which a return to the situation is made by mentioning again some of the situation elements. "As his ships went sailing, sailing Northward in the summer night." We have here place and time indicated again. The conclusion is also a kind of summary which repeats the thought of the characterizing sentence, "All these thoughts of love and strife." Words to introduce memory or vision Reproduction According to Theme-model IV. THE BELFRY OF BRUGES has the plan of Theme-model IV. Ancould be reproduced according to that model. the poem contains the four divisions: the situation, transition, retrospective nar¬rative, and conclusion. Theme-model IV. Repeated. If we repeat Theme-model IV. three times we shall have the following model : Chapter I. (According to Theme-model IV.) Situation—in the preparation— Situation-type I., with B omitted if the story so requires. . Retrospective narrative in vision— dealing with the events of the story which happened before the time of the first situation. Chapter II. (According to Theme-model IV.) Situation— at the climax— Situation-type I., with B omitted if the story so requires. Retrospective narrative in vision —dealing with events which happened in the story between the time of the first and that of the second situation. Chapter III. (According to Theme-model IV.) Situation—in the sequel— Situation-type I., with B omitted if the story so requires. Retrospective narrative in vision — dealing with the events which happened in the story between the time of the second and that of the third situation. Enoch Arden Reproduced according to Theme-model 4 repeated